Is Husky the next big indie band?

Tim Bracken, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Australian folk pop quartet Husky just might be the next big thing in the indie music scene — and for good reason.

The band was thrust into the limelight in 2011 after winning a song competition organized by Australian radio network Triple J.

Husky’s big break led to the band sharing the stage with acts such as Devandra Banhart, Gotye and the Shins.

U.S. record label Sub Pop released the band’s debut, “Forever So,” on Oct. 21.

The album features folk-inspired pop songs that alternate between sparse ballads and lush arrangements, including “History’s Door,” the song that got the band noticed.

The band’s bio describes the album’s recording process as entirely homemade. The band converted a bungalow into a makeshift studio, using borrowed equipment and siphoned electricity.

The finished product has a timeless quality. The recordings are dripping with atmosphere and pleasingly devoid of studio trickery employed by most current bands.

Husky first performed in the U.S. in early 2012. The band is currently touring the U.S. and Canada in support of “Forever So.”

Listen to a free stream of the entire album below.

Bandleader Husky Gawenda has a knack for crafting memorable songs, and for grabbing the attention of audiences.

“We always seem to make these great connections,” Gawenda said in an email to WTOP.

“There is always a feeling of warmth and openness at the shows.”

Husky is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16 at the Red Palace in D.C.

Tickets are $12.

Follow @BrackenWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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